10 march 2010
Barrier-Free Games in Sochi
On the eve of the Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee held a seminar on creating a barrier-free environment for people with disabilities – one of the key success factors of the Paralympic Games in Sochi.
The seminar was attended by Sochi 2014 specialists, people with disabilities, Russian architects involved in the Olympic venues project in Sochi, and constructors of the Sochi 2014 venues. During the meeting, they received detailed information about the key factors in creating a barrier-free environment for the Games, the expectations of the guests and participants. International best practice in transformation of venues from Olympic to Paralympic during the transition period after the Olympic Games was also discussed.
During the seminar, a report was given by Nick Morris, an International Paralympic Committee (IPC) expert on accessibility, Champion during the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta and participant of the Paralympic Games 2000 in Sydney in wheelchair basketball. After his presentation, he answered questions from the audience. Nick Morris is one of the world’s top specialists on accessibility. He has extensive experience as a consultant advising the Paralympic Games Organizing Committees and organizers of other sporting events on behalf of people with disabilities.
Additionally, Yulia Shelyakova, senior professor of “Sports Facilities and the Industry” at the National State University of Physical Education, Sports and Health Named after P. F. Lesgaft gave a detailed presentation, entitled “Creating a universal environment at sports and recreational venues”..
The experience of staging the Paralympic Games in Sochi aims to pave the way for a barrier-free environment in Russia for those with disabilities, establishing new standards in urban planning and creating an equal-opportunity society.
Sochi 2014 President and CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko remarked:
“The Paralympic Games in Sochi is a unique chance to radically change the lives of people with disabilities in our country. We are developing a barrier-free environment not only for a temporary period and not just in one city. We are forming an example in development for all of Russia and it is not just about creating the necessary infrastructure. We must change society’s attitude towards people with disabilities.”
The seminar was organized jointly with the all-Russian sports public organization, “Russian Association of Sports Facilities”.
The seminar was attended by Sochi 2014 specialists, people with disabilities, Russian architects involved in the Olympic venues project in Sochi, and constructors of the Sochi 2014 venues. During the meeting, they received detailed information about the key factors in creating a barrier-free environment for the Games, the expectations of the guests and participants. International best practice in transformation of venues from Olympic to Paralympic during the transition period after the Olympic Games was also discussed.
During the seminar, a report was given by Nick Morris, an International Paralympic Committee (IPC) expert on accessibility, Champion during the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta and participant of the Paralympic Games 2000 in Sydney in wheelchair basketball. After his presentation, he answered questions from the audience. Nick Morris is one of the world’s top specialists on accessibility. He has extensive experience as a consultant advising the Paralympic Games Organizing Committees and organizers of other sporting events on behalf of people with disabilities.
Additionally, Yulia Shelyakova, senior professor of “Sports Facilities and the Industry” at the National State University of Physical Education, Sports and Health Named after P. F. Lesgaft gave a detailed presentation, entitled “Creating a universal environment at sports and recreational venues”..
The experience of staging the Paralympic Games in Sochi aims to pave the way for a barrier-free environment in Russia for those with disabilities, establishing new standards in urban planning and creating an equal-opportunity society.
Sochi 2014 President and CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko remarked:
“The Paralympic Games in Sochi is a unique chance to radically change the lives of people with disabilities in our country. We are developing a barrier-free environment not only for a temporary period and not just in one city. We are forming an example in development for all of Russia and it is not just about creating the necessary infrastructure. We must change society’s attitude towards people with disabilities.”
The seminar was organized jointly with the all-Russian sports public organization, “Russian Association of Sports Facilities”.
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